Celebrate Bury St Edmunds with Love Your Local Market

The History of Bury St Edmunds’ Market

The Bury St Edmunds market has deep historical roots. The first market charter was granted by King John in 1202, and it would have sold products such as provisions, corn, livestock, and fish. Since then, it has remained a constant in the town. In fact, at one time, no other markets were even allowed to operate nearby—that’s how significant the Bury St Edmunds market was!

What stalls are at the Bury St Edmunds Market?

The market is held every Wednesday and Saturday from 9am to 4pm, with around 40 stalls midweek and 70 at the weekend. There’s a wide mix of stalls and goods on offer, from everyday essentials to more specialist items. From local producers and sellers, you’ll find fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, cheese and meat to take home, as well as plants and flowers. There are also handmade gifts, pottery, sustainable items, clothing, and bags. You’ll find gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian options and a good selection of street food and drinks from around the world if you fancy something to eat while you’re there.

Getting to the Bury St Edmunds Markets

The markets in Bury St Edmunds are easy to get to, no matter how you travel. If you are arriving in the town by bus, you can get off at the main bus station on St Andrews Street, a 5-minute walk from the Buttermarket and Cornhill. For those travelling by train, the station is around 10 minutes on foot from the market. Anyone driving into Bury St Edmunds will have plenty of car parks in the area. The closest car parks are at the Cattle Market and Arc Shopping Centre, offering short and long stay options. For all parking in Bury St Edmunds, see the West Suffolk Parking page.

Shops near Bury St Edmunds Market to visit

While you’re in the area of the market, why not take a look at some of the shops nearby? Buttermarket is home to well-known names like The Body Shop and Waterstones, where you can find gifts for others, or something to treat yourself. Local indie The Wine Cellar, and national Marks & Spencer, located close by, is fabulous for homeware, clothes, toiletries, shoes, and much more. Also located nearby is the chocolate specialist Marimba, which offers seasonal sweet treats, whole food, and supplement specialists, such as Grape Tree. To freshen up your wardrobe, stop at Cornish fashion brand Seasalt, or visit Luna House Boutique for stylish antique furniture, endearing homeware, captivating jewellery, and chic vintage clothing.

Cornhill offers more high street staples such as Boots and Superdrug, for skincare products, haircare products, makeup, bodycare, dental care, giftsets, and perfumes. WHSmith and Ryman are great spots to pick up something to read, pens, notepads, and other stationery for work or school, and for sporting clothes or equipment, pop into Sports Direct. Underneath the corn exchange, Loft & Spires offers a wealth of fabulous goodies for home living and giving. And Adnams is a must-stop for local wines, beers and spirits.

Eating near Bury St Edmunds Market

There are also plenty of cafes nearby if you feel like taking a break with a coffee or lunch. Harriets Tea Room, just off Market Square, is located in a historic Cornhill building, serving breakfast, lunch, tasty teas and delicious cakes. All their dishes are made on the site, from family recipes, using locally sourced ingredients. Just around the corner is Wright’s, which serves a delicious brunch menu that includes poached eggs, chorizo and potato hash, and traditional breakfast. If you’re on the hunt for lunch out, you must try their ‘posh’ toasties that come in several flavours such as plum, brie and rocket or cheese and French onion. Also on the Cornhill is Edmundo Lounge, where you can get brunch, sandwiches, flatbreads, burgers, salads, tapas, puddings and cakes.

Cafe Kottani has a wide selection of Greek meals such as Meze plates featuring tzatziki, hummus, vine leaves, halloumi, feta cheese, olives, falafel and more. While you’re there, grab a Greek Coffee or frappe. Instead, you might also want to stop by Papaki’s Deli, which is run by the same owners. The menu includes everything from Greek Phyllo Pies, Meze Plates and Greek Salad to tasty desserts including Baklava, Almond Cookies and Kantaifi. The Cornish Bakery is an on-the-go stop for sandwiches, sausage rolls, delicious cakes, and, let’s not forget, its famous Cornish pastries. Their coffee is also a must-try, with beans ethically sourced from Rwanda, Burundi, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala & Nicaragua. For anyone with a sweet tooth, Wafflechino serve classic waffles, bubble bowls and stick waffles, with a range of sauces including Nutella, white chocolate, pistachio cream, Biscoff, banoffee,  and custard, finishing with toppings such as Oreo, Kitkat, Bueno, marshmallows, strawberries, vanilla ice cream, and lemon sugar.

Whether you’re a regular visitor to the market or haven’t been in a while, Love Your Local Market is a good opportunity to support local traders, find something a bit different, and enjoy the centre of Bury St Edmunds. Explore more shops, restaurants and cafes on our town map around the market.